Giuseppe Verdi
Bicentenary Gala Dinner 10 th October 2013
1813 - 2013
Welcome to the Verdi Bicentenary Concert Dinner It is with great pride that Montegrappa welcomes you to join us on the unique occasion of the anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi. Two hundred years ago, on this very date, the world was graced with the birth of a truly exceptional composer. The master of dramatic opera, Giuseppe Verdi is considered by many to be the world's most inuential opera composer. His operas are the most performed in the world, both by number of productions per year as well as by audience attendance numbers. Without a doubt, Giuseppe Verdi is one of the great icons of Italian culture. Verdi bicentenary celebrations have been taking place all over the world this year, with special productions at La Scala in Milan, at the Royal Opera House in London, as well as an outdoor performance of Nabucco in Philadelphia just a few weeks ago that attracted over 4000 people. These are to name but a few, but be assured that the giant of Italian opera is being celebrated all over the world. It is also good to see that this anniversary is not going unnoticed in the Middle East. On my last visit to Dubai, I had the good fortune to meet a member of the Emirates Opera Project and to discover that there is a hotbed of talented musicians residing in the Emirates, eager to perform classical music. I was also happy to hear about the performance of Verdi's Requiem by the Dubai singers led by the wonderful conductor Martyn Bagnall. Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of Montegrappa Italia, I am delighted to present tonight's performers, the Emirates Opera Project and the Sharq Orchestra, performing some of Verdi's most beautiful works. I hope you enjoy tonight's unique musical experience.
Giuseppe Aquila CEO, Montegrappa Italia
Verdi, Montegrappa and Italy in the UAE It is truly a magical experience that so many people have come together to make this event happen. Giuseppe Verdi is one of Italy's na onal treasures, and the fact that this great Italian cultural figure is being celebrated here in Dubai is a wonderful testament to his importance on the global opera scene. Giuseppe Verdi is not only an important figure in Italian classical music. Verdi lived through the period of the Risorgimento, the period in Italian history when the individual independent Italian speaking states, principali es, (or parts of surrounding empires) were united to create the country that is known today as modern Italy, and which culminated in the Italian unifica on of 1861. Verdi's operas came to represent Italian unifica on and hope, and in the late 1850s the slogan Viva Verdi started to be used as an acronym of Viva Vi orio Emanuele, Re D'Italia, referring to Victor Emmanuel II then king of Sardinia. I am also delighted that this event has been organized by Montegrappa Italia, another source of Italian pride. Montegrappa is a third genera on family owned business, a company that last year celebrated their own centenary. For over one hundred years, Montegrappa has been manufacturing hand-made luxury pens in the same factory in Bassano del Grappa in North-East Italy, a region renowned for tradi onal handcra and working with precious metals and jewellery. To many, Montegrappa represents the heroic defense of Italy in World War I. Italians will never forget the famous ba le of the Monte Grappa mountain in 1917 where twenty five thousand Italian soldiers lost their lives, but successfully prevented the Austro German army from reaching the strategic Veneto plains. It is also wonderful to see such a talented group of musicians living in the UAE, and to see that such musical produc ons of our most treasured composers are possible with locally sourced talent, and this makes me personally proud as the representa ve of Italy in Dubai. I would like to express my gra tude to all the musicians, organisers, sponsors and guests involved in tonight's event. I would especially like to thank the visionary rulers of the UAE for crea ng a society in which not only Italian, but all classical music can be appreciated and enjoyed.
I wish you all a wonderful evening. Viva Verdi!
Giovanni Favilli Consul General of Italy in Dubai
Contents
Giuseppe Verdi Biographic profile.................................................................6 Montegrappa – a Brief History.....................................................................10 Montegrappa at the Opera...........................................................................12 The Evening Performance............................................................................16 Performer Profiles........................................................................................17 Evening Programme.....................................................................................24 Verdi’s Opera................................................................................................26 Our Sponsors................................................................................................44
GIUSEPPE VERDI (10th October 1813 – 27th January 1901)
Giuseppe Verdi was born in 1813 in Le Roncole, a village outside Busseto, in the Po valley. His parents were small- me landholders and inn-keepers, who provided a good educa on for their son. Even as a young child of seven years old, it was clear that Verdi had a deep apprecia on and passion for music. He studied music as a child and played the organ in a church in his village, before con nuing his educa on in Busseto. While he could have se led for the life of a provincial musician, he wanted to pursue studies at the Milan Conservatory and soon found a wealthy patron, Antonio Barezzi, who agreed to finance his educa on. Barezzi was the father of Verdi's first wife, Margherita. Milan turned out to be a difficult place. When he arrived in 1832, Verdi was too old to enter the conservatory and so he studied privately with Vincenzo Lavigna, a maestro al cembalo at the Teatro alla Scala. He a ended the theatre regularly and o en said that his true educa on came from paying close a en on to what he saw. His earliest performed opera at La Scala, Oberto (1839), was successful, but his second, the comedy Un giorno de regno, failed to please. It was a terrible period for Verdi, who had - in short order - lost two young children and his wife. With Nabucco in 1842, however, his fortunes changed and the operas he was to write during the 1840s and 1850s established him as Italy's leading composer, reaching a peak with the so-called trilogy of the early 1850s: Rigole o, Il trovatore and La traviata. In his personal life, the prima donna of Nabucco, Giuseppina Strepponi, soon became his mistress and later (in 1859) his wife. Already in 1849 they had moved to Busseto and later se led into a new house in Sant'Agata, near the town. She remained his lifelong companion un l her death in 1897.
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Beginning as a follower of Rossini and Donize , Verdi soon developed his own musical and drama c personality. Ambi ous in his choice of subjects (selec ng texts from Schiller, Shakespeare and Victor Hugo), he was a hard taskmaster, as libre sts soon found out. While he developed his musical and dramaturgical approach within Italian opera c tradi ons, he moved beyond, where appropriate. His experiences in Paris were par cularly important: a er composing Les vepres siciliennes for the Opera it became possible for him to undertake works such as Simon Boccanegra (1857), Un ballo in maschera (1859) and La forza del des no (1861-2, rev. 1869). His rate of produc on slowed greatly during the 1860s. Following the French Don Carlos (1866-7) he considered Aida (1870-1) to be his final opera. A erwards, he wrote a Requiem (1874) to honor the late Italian novelist and patriot Alessandro Manzoni (Verdi himself was closely associated with the Risorgimento and with the founding of the new Italian state, in whose first Parliament he sat). Thanks to his publisher, Giulio Ricordi, however, he began to collaborate with the younger musician and libre st Arrigo Boito, as a consequence of which the composer experienced a new crea ve period in the 1880s and 1890s, resul ng first in the revision of Simon Boccanegra (1881) and then in the crea on of Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893).
Quatro Pezzi Sacri premiered in Paris in 1898. The opera would be the famed composer's final work. Giuseppe Verdi passed away in 1901 with a prolific, celebrated body of unrivaled masterworks. Verdi would be pleased to know that his last operas are considered by many to be some of his best.
While staying at the Grand Hotel de Milan, Verdi suffered a stroke on 21 January 1901. He gradually grew more feeble and died nearly a week later, on 27 January 1901. Arturo Toscanini conducted the vast orchestras and choirs composed of musicians from throughout Italy at Verdi's funeral service in Milan. The choir that sang his iconic 'Va Pensiero' at his funeral is said to have numbered 820 members. With about 200,000 people paying their final respects, to date, it remains one of the largest public assembly of any funeral in the history of Italy. 8
Montegrappa – A Brief History (1912 – 2013) On the banks of the Brenta river in North East Italy, stands a historic building in the picturesque town of Bassano del Grappa. This building is the home of Montegrappa, Italy's oldest manufacturer of luxury wri ng instruments. This is where the company was founded in 1912 just a few years before the onset of the first World War. The normally peaceful town of Bassano del Grappa soon became an important military outpost. The Grappa massif, an enormous group of connec ng ridges culmina ng with the Monte Grappa peak at 1776 meters, while not high by alpine standards, offered the last natural defense before the plains of Northern Italy. In fierce figh ng and bi er winter condi ons during 1917 and 1918, the outnumbered, desperate, yet determined Italian soldiers heroically resisted the advances of the Austrian and German armies. The tomb of 25,000 soldiers at the summit of the Monte Grappa, pays a silent tribute to the courage of these brave men and ensures that the sacrifice for their country will never be forgo en. Montegrappa's factory, situated at the foot of these mountains, was among the buildings used as hospitals, to treat the injured soldiers. Two celebrated American writers, Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos, who were serving as war correspondents and as volunteer ambulance drivers, were among some of the soldiers known to have used Montegrappa's pens to write le ers home.
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In the years a er the war Montegrappa quickly became famous for making products with tasteful design and superb cra smanship. In the 1930s, the products of the house of Bassano addressed the tastes of the public with sober yet graceful designs, enhanced and personalized through a variety of colours and materials. Montegrappa survived the Second World War and went on to a period of success during which it con nued to create products of stunning ar stry reflec ng the long tradi on of working with precious metals and materials that the region is known for. Montegrappa's now-highly collec ble models have been used to sign documents during pivotal moments in the 20th Century. In more modern mes, Russian leader Boris Yeltsin gave his Dragon pen to Vladimir Pu n on 2nd January 2000, symbolically handing over power and Dmitry Medvedev signs all his documents with the Montegrappa Extra 1930. Montegrappa creates limited edi ons much appreciated by enthusiasts. Subjects embodied in Montegrappa pens include the America's Cup, the town of St Moritz, La Fenice Opera House in Venice and many more. Montegrappa recently established the “Icons” series to honour cultural giants, such as Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee. Numbered among the persons of note who cherished Montegrappa pens are His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain, His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand, Antonio Banderas, Al Pacino, Michael Schumacher, Zinedine Zidane and countless others. In 2010, Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi, and actor, writer, and director Sylvester Stallone became Montegrappa ambassadors, so deep is their affec on for the brand. Stallone is responsible for the design of one of Montegrappa's most coveted limited edi on pens, the fascina ng Chaos. In 2012, Paulo Coelho's most famous novel, The Alchemist, was celebrated with a Montegrappa Limited Edi on pen. Today, Montegrappa celebrates 101 years and con nues to produce exquisite hand-made masterpieces that celebrate mankind's mastery of the wri en word and that embody the pride, passion and style that make up the 'soul of Italy'.
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Montegrappa at the Opera
In addi on to celebra ng modern and contemporary musicians such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, Montegrappa also has a long associa on with the classics and classical music. Montegrappa′s Stradivari pens, dedicated to the legendary 17th century violin maker have become collec bles, despite only having been launched in 2008. Montegrappa has also made pens paying tribute to some of the greatest operas, such as Verdi′s La Traviata and Rossini′s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (the Barber of Seville). Montegrappa has also received awards for the 2011 pen, Teatro La Fenice, one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many opera c premieres. Since opening 222 years ago, it has burned and been rebuilt twice more (hence e a r n i n g i t ’s n a m e L a Fenice, The Phoenix). 12
Giuseppe Verdi In honor of Giuseppe Verdi’s 200th year, Montegrappa and designer Mario Cavazzu have come together to release this limited edi on pen. Working closely with the Giuseppe Verdi Founda on and the “il Regio” opera house Montegrappa has produced this wonderful looking line of wri ng instruments. The collec on is a limited edi on of 1813 pens (the year he as born) consis ng of 500 fountain pens, 500 roller ball pens, and 813 twistac on ball points. Each pen is turned from black resin with rhodium trim. The cap is laser-engraved with Giuseppe Verdi’s face and signature too. The grip sec on is also engraved with the logo of the Teatro Regioi di Parma, which is a nice visual focal point of the pen. The fountain pens feature a rhodium plated 18k gold nib and a cartridge/converter filling system.
1813 - 2013 Rigolleto As part of ongoing Giuseppe Verdi bicentenary celebra on of this year Montegrappa presents a dedica on to one of Verdi’s greatest composi ons. The design of the Rigole o pen immediately recalls the a re of the tradi onals. court jester, a harlequin pa ern of red, white and black diamond shapes that can be a ributed to no other character.The body and all-red cap are made of precious resin with mosaic effect. Decora ng the crown of the pen is handmade black and red Murano Glass, and all trims are tastefully made of solid silver or solid gold, in the tradi onal sytle of North East Italy where Montegrappa has been making pens for over 100 years.
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La Traviata The Montegrappa Traviata Pen is inspired by the great operas which have always touched people's hearts. In opera, vigour and emo ve involvement make up for a grand performance which is kept going by acted out dialogue and lyrical moments. Not only music is affiliated with the opera but also grand scenery, engineers, directors and perfect stage sets. “La Traviata" is the world's most famous and most frequently performed opera. The character of Viole a Valery, the "Lady of the Camellias" skillfully cra ed by Giuseppe Verdi, has seduced audiences since the opera first made its debut in 1863. Elements of Viole a's tempestuous and tormented personality emerge in each detail of the Montegrappa collec on.
Barbiere di Siviglia The Montegrappa Barbiere di Siviglia Silver Fountain Pen is a tribute to Rossini’s and loved opera, the Barber of Seville opera. Hand carved in precious metals with a blue celluloid cap and barrel, the pen reflects the story: Count Almaviva enlists Figaro the barber to help woo Rosina, the secret passion of her lecherous guardian Don Bartolo.
Genio Crea vo Antonio Stradivari The Genio Crea vo collec on, pays homage to fabled luthier Antonio Stradivari. The body and cap of this pen is cra ed from resin which duplicates the grain of Italian red fir--a wood which Stradivari employed in the construc on of his instruments; the sensual curves are inspired by the shape of viol-family instruments, and the pla num clip echoes the fingerboard of violins, cellos, and violas.
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This evening's Performance
Tonight's concert brings together the Emirates Opera Project, The Sharq Orchestra, and many independent talented musicians under the directorship of Martyn Bagnall and Chris ne Belbelian.
The Emirates Opera Project is a group of talented and qualiďŹ ed opera singers from dierent parts of the world, who now live and work in Dubai, and s ll have a passion for performing Opera to a high standard and whose vision is to deliver full opera c produc ons locally without the need to depend on performers from the outside world. All of the performers involved in tonight's concert are living and working in the UAE, and are involved in the music scene, either as performers, teachers, or simply out of personal interest.
Montegrappa's Rigole o pen, originally planned for launch at the end of this year, has been brought forward to coincide with tonight's concert, and we are pleased to announce that the Rigole o pen is now available in the Montegrappa bou que in Emirates Towers, as well as at Rivoli shops na onwide.
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Performer Profiles : Emirates Opéra Project CHRISTINE BELBELIAN Armenian soprano and pianist Chris ne Belbelian started playing the piano since she was 6 years old. She completed Grade 8 exams from the world renowned qualifica on ABRSM - which is the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music and passed with Dis nc on in both prac cal and theory at the age of 13 in Amman, Jordan. A er gradua ng from high school, she went on to further her musical studies and obtained her BA degree in Piano Performance, Music Teaching, Vocal Studies & Drama from The Na onal Conservatoire in Bra slava, Slovakia in 1997 under the guidance of her piano teacher Marta Magyarova and singing teacher Alzbeta Bukovecka. She then furthered her studies in singing and obtained her Diploma in opera singing from The Franz Liszt Academy of Music & Arts State University of Budapest, Hungary in 2001. Her singing teachers were Marta Onody and Magda Nador. Her opera stage coach was Balazs Kovalik. Chris ne has been an ac ve par cipant in master classes & fes vals during her studies in both Bra slava and Budapest. These were given by renowned opera figures such as Magdalena Hajossyova, Sergei Kopcak, Andrej Kucharsky Margar a Lilova, Eva Marton, Ilona Tokody and Polgar Laszlo. Her Opera c repertoire encompasses a wide range of roles such as Suzanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Pamina in Die Zauberflote and Rusalka in Rusalka among others. She is also ac ve on the concert pla orm and gave many song, opera, opere a and musical recitals in many concert halls and fes vals in Bra slava, Budapest, Stockholm and Dubai and Sharjah. Chris ne resides in Dubai with her husband and 2 kids where she teaches privately singing and piano. She also performs occasionally at various corporate, private events as motherhood became the priority in her life. She is very happy to share her knowledge and experience with her students. Nevertheless, she con nues working on different roles and repertoire, preparing herself for upcoming performances and concerts.
JERZY OLSSON-NAGORSKI Jerzy Olsson-Nagorski (bass-baritone) moved to Dubai from the UK in 2010. He was educated at the University of Warwick and is a former member of the Armonico Consort. Verdi has been a prominent figure in his musical life from the start of his career – he made his opera c debut in 2002 as Dr. Grenvil in Verdi La Traviata. He sang his first leading role in 2007 as the tle role in Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin. Other opera c roles include Scarpia in Puccini Tosca, and Alfio in Mascagni Cavalleria Rus cana. He made his London debut in December 2005 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as the baritone soloist in Vaughan-Williams Fantasia. Other concert engagements as a soloist include Rossini Pe te Messe Solennelle, Mozart Requiem and Corona on Mass, Bach St. Ma hew Passion, Magnificat and Wachet auf, Handel Messiah and De ngen Te Deum, Haydn Crea on, Nelsonmesse, Paukenmesse and Harmoniemesse, Beethoven Mass in C and Choral Fantasia, Brahms Requiem, Fauré Requiem and Tippe Spirituals from A Child Of Our Time. 17
MARIA GLÜCK Maria Glùck started her musical career very early on. At the age of three and a half years she began playing the violin, had her first leading part in a musical on stage at the age of eleven and graduated from the German high school system (Abitur) in the field of music with cello as her main instrument. Already in her childhood it was very clear to her to become a professional in music. At the age of sixteen she was awarded a scholarship of the Bavarian state for specially gi ed young opera singers and where she graduated from to follow her university studies in music and opera singing at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich and the Bavarian Na onal Academy of Theatre where she was awarded dis nc on at the comple on of her studies. In her numerous appearances on stage she sang leading parts in operas, e.g., Angelina in Rossinis "Cinderella", Marie in Smetanas "Bartered Bride", Dido in Purcells "Dido and Aeneas" etc. Besides that she had concerts in the Munich Herkules-Hall, the Prinzregenten Theatre, the Philharmonic Hall, in Nymphenburg Castle, followed by solo concerts in the world famous Zedernsaal in the Fugger Castle Kirchheim and in the Residence of Salzburg. Addi onally she performed in high-end Opera-Dinner-Shows all around Germany and sang for an interna onal adver sement campaign of Daimler-Chrysler (leading voice) as well as German prime program TV series. Since moving to Dubai in 2007 she has not only two lovely boys, but also mul ple performances with the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra in the Emirates Palace Auditorium in Abu Dhabi as well as concerts in Dubai and Sharjah. She sang and sings for high-end corporate events and enjoys sharing her knowledge and art through coaching other professional singers and talented students alike.
JULIA TEAL KERMOTT American Soprano, Julia Teal Kermo , was born and raised in San Diego, California. Ms. Kermo was praised by cri cs of the Santa Barbara News-Press, as a performer with "a commanding vocal and stage presence." This past May Ms. Kermo sang the role of Adina in L′Elisir d′amore by Donize with Center Stage Opera in Northridge, CA. She has performed various roles in Italy and the U.S.A. such as, Madame Herz in The Impresario by W.A. Mozart, Carolina in Il matrimonio segreto by Cimarosa, Adele in Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss, George e and the Sopranino in La Rondine by Puccini, as well as the cover for the role of Sandrina in La finta giardiniera by W.A. Mozart. Ms. Kermo sang as a core chorister for San Diego Opera and Opera Santa Barbara for numerous seasons, while also performing comprimario roles at these opera houses. As a concert ar st, Ms. Kermo has appeared numerous mes as a guest soloist with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Kermo received her Bachelor′s in Music and her Bachelor′s in Italian Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her Master′s in Music-Vocal Performance from San Diego State University. Ms. Kermo currently lives in Dubai, where she enjoys performing and teaching voice.
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ROBERT MILLNER Born in Worcestershire, Robert read English at Trinity College Cambridge before studying singing with Thomas Hemsley at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He made his opera c debut for The Royal Opera singing Master Peter in Master Peter′s Puppet Show. He then sang the roles of Alfredo (La Traviata), Ferrando (Cosi fan tu e)and Monostatos (The Magic Flute) for Music Theatre London. He made his Glyndebourne Fes val debut as The Messenger in Theodora before spending 3 years studying in Milan with Maestro FrancoCorelli. He then appeared as Turiddu (Cavalleria Rus cana) at the Vietnam Opera House, Rodolfo (La Boheme) for Co-opera Ireland, Don Jose (Carmen) and Danilo (The Merry Widow) for London City Opera in the USA, Don Jose, Ferrando and Ernesto (Don Pasquale) for Garden Opera , Nemorino (L′elisir d′amore) for Northern Opera, Eisenstein and Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Ernesto, Duca (Rigole o), Pinkerton (Madam Bu erfly), Ferrando, Alfredo, Rodolfo and Don Jose, for European Chamber Opera and Don Jose for Lakeland opera. His Concert Highlights include The Mozart Requiem and Verdi Requiem at the Seychelles Interna onal Fes val of Classical Music, Bri en′s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings at The Hermitage Theatre in St. Petersburg and Spire Live in Gothenburg and the Holland Fes val
STANISLAV FEDYUK Stanislav studied piano at the Lviv Music Academy in Ukraine, achieving a BA and a Specialist degree in music specialising in Piano Performance, Piano accompanying, Piano teaching and Chamber Ensemble Playing. He also achieved a Licen ate Diploma with Dis nc on of the Trinity College of London specialising in Piano Performance. He has par cipated in numerous na onal and Interna onal compe ons in the Ukraine winning 1st, 2nd and other special prizes as a solo Pianist and Accompanist. Stanislav has performed all over Europe, including Ukraine, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Turkey, as well as in the Lebanon and U.A.E, where he has been residing since 2008. As a pianist he plays classical music as well as modern music in various styles, performing and accompanying at various corporate and private events, schools, Embassies, Churches and fes vals all around the UAE. Stanislav in addi on has professional experience in pop, jazz, rock and classical music as a pianist and keyboard player with miscellaneous bands. He has more than 7 hours of live playing repertoire of classical, popular and jazz music He also accompanies many musicians in concerts, compe ons, exams and is an experienced drama actor.
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Performer Profiles : Conductor and Sharq Orchestra Conductor Martyn Bagnall Martyn Bagnall (who i s re l a t e d t o t h e composer Sir William Walton) was a student at Trinity College of Music, London, where he studied conduc ng under Charles Proctor, singing with James Gaddarn and Baroque and Renaissance Studies w i t h Ed ga r H u nt . Whilst in London, he sang frequently for the B B C, on the South Bank, at St George′s Hanover Square and with the Tilford Bach Choir. On moving to Suffolk, he founded the Ipswich Chamber Choir and Orchestra and conducted the Choir and Orchestra in all of the classic choral repertoire; in its 21st anniversary year, he conducted the Choir in a specially commissioned piece by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. For the culmina on of the celebratory year, Martyn conducted a performance of Verdi′s Requiem at Snape Mal ngs with a combined choir of East Anglian singers and an orchestra and soloists drawn from alumni of Trinity College of Music. Martyn has also sung at Ely Cathedral as a Lay Clerk and occasionally gives recorder recitals. In 2007, he moved to Dubai where he was Musical Director of the Dubai Divas for the 2008/2009 season. He was appointed Musical Director of the Dubai Singers in 2009. In March 2010, he formed a choir to sing at the opening of the new Meydan Racetrack for the Dubai World Cup under the world-famous media composer Steve Sidwell. In May 2010, he conducted the premiere of Verdi′s Requiem in Dubai with soloists from The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, an orchestra drawn from the UAE and a choir drawn from the GCC region. In March 2011, he was invited to conduct the Dubai Sinfonia at the Gala Opening of the Dubai Literary Fes val. In December 2012, he conducted the Dubai premiere of Puccini′s Gloria and Vaughan Williams′ Five Mys cal Songs with soloists from The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, an orchestra drawn from the UAE and a choir drawn from the GCC region. In March 2013, he was asked to train a chorus of 69 singers to accompany the world famous tenor Andrea Bocelli for a concert at the Du Arena in Abu Dhabi in front of a capacity audienceof 10,000.
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Al Sharq Orchestra The Sharq Orchestra was established by Mohamad Hamami in April 2008. There are about 60 musicians of 22 different na onali es in the orchestra. Mohamad runs the orchestra and plays solo violin. The orchestra repertoire varies from tradi onal Arabic music to classical pieces to new composi ons wri en specifically for Mohamad's solos. Sharq Orchestra had its first concert at Madinat Jumeira Theatre on the 8th of June 2008.
Tonight's orchestra members are: Martyn Bagnall - Conductor Elena Cherny –Violin Mohamad Hamami – Violin Tracy Keeley –Violin Nona Harutyunyan –Violin Crosby Barre – Violin Andrey Schmidt – Viola Nick Kohn – Viola Blerta Sokoli – Cello Evgenia – Cello Stanislav Fedyuk – Pianoforte Lidia Stankulova - Harp Amelia Frost – Flute Sarah Lander – Piccolo Jonathan Aubrey – Clarinet Clare Greenwood – Oboe Ben Fox – Bassoon Jane Knight – French Horn Mark Gibson – Trumpet Karl Marsden – Trumpet John Barre – Trombone Ron Malanga – Timpani 22
Evening Programme Starter Introduc on La Forze del Des no - Overture (video) 8'
page 27
I Due Foscari - Tace il vento 3' Falstaff - Sul fil d'un soffio etesio 4' Rigole o - La donna e mobile 2' La Traviata - Morro ! la mia memoria 3' La Traviata - Brindisi : Libiamo...ne'lie calici
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Act 1
3'
Main course Act 2 La Traviata - Noi siamo zingarelle 2' La Traviata - Parigi o cara noi lasceremo 4' Rigole o - Gual er Malde… Caro nome che il moi cor La Traviata - Un di felice, eterea 3' Rigole o - Bella figlia dell'amore 6'
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Interlude Aida - Triumphal March
3'
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Dessert Act 3 Rigole o - Ah ! veglia, o donna 3' La Forza del Des no - Pace, pace, mio Dio 6' Nabucco - D'Egi o la sui lidi 4' Rigole o - Addio… speranza ed anima 2' Nabucco - Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate 5' Carriages 24
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Emirates Opera Project invites you to the 2013 ANNUAL GARDEN CONCERT Enjoy your favourite opera classics in this relaxed open air casual setting At Villa Nahhas-Belbelian, Jumeirah
Friday the 15th of November 2013 For more information, contact Christine on 050 5647184, or christine@emiratesopera.com Photos from last year's concert
Verdi's Operas Around the world and through the ages Just as much as his beloved Shakespeare did in his plays, Giuseppe Verdi travelled the world in the 30 operas that he composed, beginning with Oberto, wri en when he was just 26, and ending over half a century later with that last masterpiece, Falstaff. It was a journey that began at Bassano (incidentally, the home of Montegrappa for over 100 years), and ended in Windsor Great Park, the composer mapping an imagined historical world that for over half a century many among his audience would visit for the first me in the opera house. Tonight Verdi is taking us on a journey through me and space; there's Renaissance Mantua in Rigole o, 1850s Paris in La Traviata, late 18th century Spain in La Forza del Des no, before Christ Jerusalem in Nabucco, pre-Tudor Britain in Falstaff, 15th century Venice in I Due Foscari, 15th century Spain in Il Trovatore, and finally, paradoxically, is it ancient Pharaonic Egypt or the Raffles Hotel in modern day Dubai? Aida in the land of the pyramids.
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La Forza del Des no (1861-2, revised 1869) La Forza del Des no ('The Force of Des ny') was a commission from the Imperial Theatre of St Petersburg and at its first performance in February 1865 the opera opened with a short prelude. The full-scale overture that we usually hear was a second thought, wri en when Verdi was revising a work that had appealed to neither Russian nor Italian audiences. Russian na onalist objected to an Italian composer telling a story mostly set in Spain, while devout Italians were dismayed by the dark and godless end in which Carlos stabs his sister Leonora, having been mortally wounded by Leonora's lover Alvaro, who, overcome with guilt, throws himself into a ravine. Overture: The idea that haunts La Forze del Des no is announced at the very start of the Overture; three dark chords played twice by the brass and low woodwinds are about the implacable nature of fate. The scurrying theme for the strings that follows belongs to Don Carlo and Don Alvaro – we know how badly their feud will end when the fate theme returns abruptly before the woodwinds introduce the final duet that precedes their deadly duel. Then comes a fourth theme for the third character in the drama: it is Leonora's soaring prayer. Verdi con nues to weave together the principal themes from his opera, while at every orchestral turn, we hear the malevolent 'fate' mo f, the composer crea ng a masterly symphonic texture. Libre o: Francesco Maria Piave
Pace, pace mio Dio! Role:
Leonora
When: Se ng:
Act IV, Scene 2 Outside the cave where Leonora has come to live out her remaining days in repentance.
Synopsis:
Leonora calls for peace from God on her tortured soul. (Pace, pace mio Dio! – "Peace, O mighty Father, give me peace!"). She s ll loves Alvaro a er all these years and the bad things that have happened. She calls upon God to end her suffering.
Tonight's performance by: Maria Glück – Mezzo Soprano
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I Due Foscari (1844) The innocent. The guilty. The doomed. Vene an poli cs knows no difference. I Due Foscari was one of Verdi's early works, based on a historical play, The Two Foscari by Lord Byron. It's a Vene an poli cal story of an aging doge, Francesco Foscari, torn between duty and love when his son Jacopo is accused of a crime he didn't commit.
Libre o by Francesco Maria Piave A er his success with Ernani, Verdi received a commission from Rome's Teatro Argen na and he went to work with Piave in considering two subjects, one of which eventually became this opera. I due Foscari was given its premiere performance in Rome on 3 November 1844 and was generally quite successful, although not on the scale of Ernani, which remained Verdi's most popular opera un l Il trovatore in 1853. Today, Foscari is revived occasionally and its fortunes have been helped by the interest taken by tenor Plácido Domingo in singing baritone roles.
Tace Il Vento Role:
Chorus: The fes ve crowd
When:
Act III, Scene 1
Se ng:
The Piaze a of San Marco
Synopsis:
In contrast to the otherwise sombre theme of this opera with its Machiavellian intrigue and tragic conclusion, this Barcarolle is a joyful expression of a happy fes val crowd, celebra ng the mysteries of love and life, while being blissfully unaware or indifferent to the des ny of the Dodge or his son who is about to be exiled forever.
Tonight's performance by: Chris ne Belbelian – Soprano Julia Kermo – Soprano Maria Glück – Mezzo Soprano Robert Millner – Tenor Jerzy Olsson Nagorski – Baritone
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Falstaff (1892-3) Old, large and lecherous, Sir John Falstaff can't resist the ladies. But they can resist him, and three of them plot to put an end to his advances once and for all. Falstaff, the crowning glory to Giuseppe Verdi's magnificent career, is almost a final proclama on of his admira on of the great William Shakespeare. The opera was first th performed on the 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan and was a huge success, with encores and applause for Verdi and the cast las ng more than an hour. It is alleged (in several sources) that Verdi resorted to hiding in a tool shed at the sta on to escape hysterical crowds.
Sul Fil D'un soffio Role:
Nane a, The Fords daughter
When: Se ng:
Act III, Scene 2 Windsor Park, Windsor, England
Synopsis:
Nanne a, disguised as the Fairy Queen, calls the fairies out of their hiding places and commands them to dance.
Tonight's performance by: Julia Kermo – Soprano
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Rigole o (1850-1) In the late 1840s Victor Hugo's play about the amoral Francis I of France excited Verdi as a subject for an opera as much as Shakespeare's Macbeth had done three years earlier. Was it the smell of danger and an inevitable ba le with the censor about pu ng a morally bankrupt ruler on stage? A er all, Hugo's play had been banned in Paris a er a single performance. And, true to form, the Italian censor would declare that Francesco Maria Piave's libre o was replete with 'repellent immorality and obscene triviality'. Or was it the fate of the jester Triboulet that a racted Verdi? 'A crea on worthy of Shakespeare,' he said of the misshapen character who he would rename as Rigole o when he and his libre st Piave transported the story to the court of Mantua. Rigole o is perhaps Verdi's most Shakespearean opera in terms of the interplay between public and private lives, the brutal betrayal of innocence and manner in which Rigole o is snared by his own plot, with his daughter Gilda, who loves the Duke, murdered instead of her callous seducer. That seducer has just about all the best tunes, not only in his cynical aria 'Questa o quello' but also perhaps the one of the best known tenor arias of all me 'La donna e mobile'.
Ah Veglia! o donna Role: When: Se ng:
Duet: Rigole o, Gilda Act I Rigole o's house
Synopsis: Rigole o, the Duke of Mantua's court jester, returns home a er having been cursed by one of the Duke's guests. Rigole o has been concealing his daughter from the Duke and the rest of the city. Tonight's performance by: Julia Kermo – Soprano Robert Millner - Tenor
Addio… speranza ed anima Role: When: Se ng:
Gilda, Duke of Mantua Act I, Scene 2 Rigole o's house
Synopsis:
While Rigole o is out, the Duke, pretending to be a poor student, seduces Gilda and they trade vows of love: "Addio, addio" ("Farewell, farewell")
Tonight's performance by: Chris ne Belbelian – Soprano 30
Jerzy Olsson Nagorski – Baritone
Caro Nome Role: When: Se ng:
Gilda Act I, Scene 2 Rigole o's house
Synopsis:
A er the Duke's visit, Gilda sings of her new-found love.
Tonight's performance by: Chris ne Belbelian – Soprano
Donna E Mobile Role: When: Se ng:
Duke of Mantua Act III The inn of Sparafucile
Synopsis:
The Duke, disguised as a soldier, sings that all women are fickle and that they will betray anyone who falls in love with them.
Tonight's performance by: Robert Millner - Tenor
Bella figlia dell'amore Role: When: Se ng:
Quartet: Duke of Mantua, Maddalena, Rigole o, Gilda Act III Outside the inn of Sparafucile
Synopsis:
Rigole o makes Gilda realize that the Duke is a emp ng to seduce Sparafucile's sister, Maddalena: "Bella figlia dell'amore" ("Beau ful daughter of love").
Tonight's performance by: Julia Kermo – Soprano Maria Glück – Mezzo Soprano Robert Millner – Tenor Jerzy Olsson Nagorski – Baritone 31
La Traviata (1852-3) When it was first performed in London, at Her Majesty's Theatre, La Traviata was censured in a leading ar cle in The Times. Later, to spare the delicate moral sensibili es of its audience, Covent Garden chose not to distribute a copy of the libre o. Here was an opera with a tart at its heart; and worse, the composer quite clearly took Viole a Valery's side, arguing in one of his most eloquent scores that human love redeems whoever feels it. But, alas, amor non vicint omnia. In the last act, Viole a dies of consump on a er being reunited briefly with Alfredo Germont, the man she has given up at the request of his father, so that his other daughter can marry without there being a taint of scandal in the family. It is based on La dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas (son). The opera was originally en tled Viole a, a er the main character. Piave and Verdi wanted to follow Dumas in giving the opera a contemporary se ng, but the authori es at La Fenice insisted that it be set in the past, "c. 1700". It was not un l the 1880s that the composer and libre st's original wishes were carried out and "realis c" produc ons were staged.
Brindisi : Libiamo…ne'lie calici Role:
Duet: Viole a, Alfredo
When: Se ng:
Act I A late-night party at the house of Viole a Valery
Synopsis:
Alfredo, Viole a's guest and long- me admirer, is convinced by Gastone and Viole a to show off his voice. He sings (as this tle suggests) a drinking song.
Tonight's performance by: Chris ne Belbelian – Soprano Robert Millner – Tenor
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Un di Felice Role:
Duet: Viole a, Alfredo
When: Se ng:
Act I The Salon in Viole a's house
Synopsis:
While her guests dance in the next room, Viole a looks at her pale face in her mirror. Alfredo enters and expresses his concern for her fragile health, later declaring his love for her (Alfredo, Viole a: Un dì, felice, eterea – "One day, happy and ethereal").
Tonight's performance by: Julia Kermo – Soprano Robert Millner – Tenor
Morro! La mia memoria Role:
Duet: Viole a, Germont
When: Se ng:
Act II Viole a's country house outside Paris
Synopsis:
Viole a, now se led in a peaceful country life with Alfredo outside Paris, is confronted by his father who wants her to break off their liaison for the sake of his family's reputa on. She ini ally resists sta ng her love for him, but eventually, with remorse, agrees.
Tonight's performance by: Maria Glück – Mezzo Soprano Jerzy Olsson Nagorski – Baritone
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Noi Siamo Zingarelle Role:
Female Gypsy Chorus
When: Se ng:
Act II Flora's house
Synopsis:
At a party at Flora's house, she calls for the entertainers to perform for the guests (Chorus: Noi siamo zingarelle venute da lontano – "We are gypsy girls who have come from afar")
Tonight's performance by: Chris ne Belbelian – Soprano Julia Kermo – Soprano Maria Glück – Mezzo Soprano
Parigi O Cara Role:
Duet: Viole a, Alfredo
When: Se ng:
Act III Viole a's bedroom
Synopsis:
Alfredo learns of the sacrifice Viole a has made for his family and rushes to see her. The lovers are reunited and Alfredo suggests that they leave Paris (Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo – "We will leave Paris, O beloved"). But it is too late: her sickness has worsened and her me is up. Tonight's performance by: Julia Kermo – Soprano Robert Millner - Tenor
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La Traviata
Aida (1870-1) th
There is no grander march in all 19 century opera than the Triumphal March in Act 2 of Aida. Verdi, who early in his career had revealed a remarkable gi for this kind of music, had wearied of such theatrical effects. But in composing his Egyp an opera, rediscovered what a march can do for the drama. Verdi's enthusiasm for this grand scene – in which Ramades and the victorious Egyp an army pass before the Pharaoh – grew directly from his new-found fascina on with Egyp an history. When reading the Roman historian Plutarch, Verdi found a men on of a fanfare trumpet reminiscent of a donkey bray and immediately commissioned an 'Aida trumpet' from the instrument maker Adolphe Sax, which provided a par cularly brilliant focused sound in the Triumphal March. The ba le of Sedan, in the Franco-Prussian war, caused the postponement of the first performances of Aida in Cairo's new opera house in January 1871. Indeed, the French defeat in this ba le gives a par cular resonance to the defeat of the Ethiopians celebrated in the Triumphal March. There's no doubt where Verdi's sympathies lay: the composer donated a por on of his fee for Aida for the benefit of the French wounded on the ba lefield. As for the Egyp ans, they were so excited by Verdi's Triumphal March that they promptly adopted it as their na onal hymn!
38
Nabucco (1841-2) Under its original name of Nabucodonosor, the opera was first performed at La Scala in Milan on 9 March 1842. Nabucco is the opera which is considered to have permanently established Verdi's reputa on as a composer. He commented that "this is the opera with which my ar s c career really begins. And though I had many difficul es to fight against, it is certain that Nabucco was born under a lucky star."
D'Egi o la sui lidi Role:
Zaccaria
When: Se ng:
Act I the Temple of Solomon, ancient Jerusalem
Synopsis:
The Assyrian army led by Nabucco has defeated the army of his adversaries and is now poised to enter their city. Fearing for their lives, the besieged pray for deliverance from the coming invasion. Zaccaria revives their hope by telling them that Nabucco's daughter is their prisoner. He describes how the Lord brought them out of Egypt safely and believes that God will defeat this army with the same power and might.
Tonight's performance by: Jerzy Olsson Nagorski – Baritone
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Some music historians claim that when the "Va, pensiero" chorus was sung in Milan, then belonging to the large part of Italy under Austrian domina on, the audience, responding with na onalis c fervour to the exiled slaves' lament for their lost homeland, demanded an encore (encores were expressly prohibited at that me). For this reason, this famous piece is o en associated with Verdi's role in the unifica on of Italy, the Risorgimento. Indeed, at Verdi's funeral in 1901, a choir of over 800 members sang this haun ng chorus.
Va Pensiero Role:
Chorus
When: Se ng:
Act III The Banks of the River Euphrates
Synopsis:
The exiled people long for freedom and to return to their homeland and sing an upli ing anthem of hope to help endure their suffering.
Tonight's performance by: All singers (audience par cipa on welcome)
Lyrics :
English Transla on
Va', pensiero, sull'ali dorate; Va, posa sui clivi, sui colli, ove olezzano tepide e molli l'aure dolci del suolo natal! Del Giordano le rive saluta, di Sionne le torri a errate… Oh mia Patria sì bella e perduta! O membranza sì cara e fatal! Arpa d'or dei fa dici va , perché muta dal salice pendi? Le memorie nel pe o raccendi, ci favella del tempo che fu! O simile di Solima ai fa , traggi un suono di crudo lamento; o t'ispiri il Signore un concento che ne infonda al pa re virtù!
Go, thoughts, on golden wings; Go, se le upon the slopes and hills, where warm and so and fragrant are the breezes of our sweet na ve land! Greet the banks of the Jordan, the towers of Sionne ... Oh my country so beau ful and lost! Or so dear yet unhappy! Or harp of the prophe c seers, why do you hang silent from the willows? Rekindle the memories within our hearts, tell us about the me that have gone by Or similar to the fate of Solomon, give a sound of lament; or let the Lord inspire a concert That may give to endure our suffering
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